A shadowban is X’s way of limiting the reach of an account without banning it outright. When a person gets shadowbanned on X, their posts and replies are no longer visible on their followers’ feeds. The only way to access the posts is by searching for the shadowbanned account. In some cases, X may also restrict the account from appearing in searches. Once an account gets shadowbanned, the user does not receive any formal notification for it. Usually, shadowbans are handed out when X suspects an account to be a bot or when the user violates the Terms of Service (ToS). In this article, we bring you the top 9 easy methods to check and remove a shadowban on X.
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In This Article
When does X shadowban an account?
If you’re wondering why your X account got shadowbanned, it could be due to one of the following reasons.
- You posted several posts within seconds.
- Your spam posts misused a hashtag.
- The spam posts were made to get a hashtag to trend.
- You tried to sell your account or buy more views.
- You posted hateful content on the platform.
- Your posts violated X’s ToS.
How to check for a shadowban on X
As we mentioned earlier, X does not notify users when placing a shadowban on their account. If you suspect your posts aren’t reaching your audience, there are a few steps you can take to confirm if your account has been shadowbanned. Here are some of them.
Check your post engagements
Since shadowbanning limits the reach of your posts, a sudden drop in engagements may point towards an outward restriction of your account. Go through your posts and notice if there has been a drop in interactions (comments, likes, and reposts) and engagements (impressions, profile clicks) over a period of time. X’s new view count feature is also very helpful in determining the reach of your account. To check the engagement metrics of a particular post, click on it and select ‘View Post Activity’. If you notice a sharp decline in engagement, chances are your account has been shadowbanned.
Search for your account from the incognito window
Switch to the incognito tab and make an alt account on X. Look up your username in the search bar. If your profile does not show up in the results, it means X is actively shadowbanning your account. Sometimes, your profile may show up, but the posts may not be visible. This is also a sign of a shadowban.
Check where your comments appear on a post
One of the better signifiers to check for a shadowban is checking where your replies end up on a particular post. If your replies are hidden or show up at the end of the thread, it is very likely that your X account is shadowbanned. Refrain from making comments that could violate the ToS.
Use HiSubway
There are several third-party test websites that will perform a test on your X account to check whether it has received a shadowban or not. Go to https://hisubway.online/shadowban/ and enter your username in the search field. The website will perform a few tests and will return the relevant results.
Use Circleboom
Step 1: Go to Circleboom’s shadowban checker.
Step 2: Enter your X username in the text box.
Step 3: Hit Search.
Step 4: Check the results.
How to remove a shadowban on X
Once you’ve confirmed that X has placed a shadowban on your account, there are some steps you can take to ensure it is reversed in due time. Here’s what you can do.
Remove the posts that may have gotten you shadowbanned
Go through your posts and find out the posts that may have gotten you shadowbanned. X usually shadowbans accounts that post spam, mass follow other accounts, or engage in hateful conduct. Removing any objectionable content from your profile is the first step towards reversing a shadow ban.
Lay low for a while
Once you’ve removed the objectionable content from your profile, lay low and let X assess the situation. Avoid making any objectionable posts that may compound the ban. Do not tag other people in your posts in a manner that may be construed as harassment. Typically, a shadowban takes around 3 days to resolve. Your account will be restored to normalcy soon after.
Do not bypass the ban by making another profile
Trying to bypass the shadowban by making another account or posting through someone else’s account may result in a permaban (permanent ban). Your best course of action is to reduce your X activity until the ban is reversed.
Contact X support
If you think there was a misunderstanding on X’s end in shadowbanning your account, you can try contacting their Support team. This is not uncommon, as X tries to restrict bots on its platform. If you posted a lot of content in a very short duration of time, the algorithm may have mistaken you for a bot and handed you a shadowban. This issue can be easily resolved by contacting the X Support team.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why was my X account shadowbanned?
X hands out shadowbans to accounts that it suspects to be bots. On top of that, the visibility of accounts that spread hateful content is also restricted.
How do I know for sure that I have been shadowbanned on X?
Go to https://hisubway.online/shadowban/ and search for your X handle to know for sure if you have been shadowbanned on the platform. The website performs a diagnosis check on your profile and lets you know whether your posts are being actively suppressed from being exposed to a wider audience.
How long does an X shadowban last?
A shadowban on X typically lasts for 3 days.
How do I get rid of a shadowban on X?
Delete all the objectionable posts that may have caused X to impose a shadow ban on your profile. Under any circumstances, do not create a secondary account, as it may result in a permaban.
Can I bypass my X shadowban by creating another account?
You can bypass a shadowban or a permaban by creating another account. However, if X finds out that you’re bypassing a ban, you risk getting a device ban.
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Conclusion
These are the top 9 methods to check and remove a shadowban on X. Once the shadowban has been removed, you will see the engagement metrics of your posts go up again. Repeat offences and multiple bans in quick succession can also lead to your account getting permabanned.
